Some devices and methods for automatically shifting a gearshift mechanism of a bicycle are already known.
DE 195 28 133 A1 discloses a device for load-dependent and speed-dependent automatic shifting of bicycle gearshifts. In this context, various items of electrical information such as a velocity, a pedaling force or a pedaling torque, a positive gradient or inclination of the underlying surface and a pedaling speed or pedaling frequency are transmitted to a control computer which is mounted on the bicycle handlebars. This information is acquired by means of electrical sensors mounted on the bicycle, wherein, inter alia, an inclination sensor is present. An instantaneous load situation is calculated in the control computer, the gear mechanism transmission ratio which is best adapted to this load situation is acquired, and as a result the corresponding gear speed is applied automatically on the bicycle. The control computer has here a display unit for displaying the velocity, the riding distance, the riding time and the currently engaged gear speed. In order to provide the rider of the bicycle with the possibility of influencing the gear mechanism transmission ratio provided to them and to permit manual adaptation of the automatically set gear mechanism transmission ratio as a function of its current physique and performance, an information encoder in the form of a shifting unit is present on the handlebars of the bicycle. The rider of the bicycle can intervene directly in the control by means of this shifting unit and can select between a “low”, “normal” or “high” transmission ratio or load curve. Furthermore, “freezing” of the currently selected gear speed can take place in order to suppress any undesired gear speed changes. The control computer transmits the shifting signals to at least one server actuator which automatically activates the gearshift.
EP 2377713 A1 describes an electric bicycle in which the required auxiliary drive force of the electric motor is acquired and activated automatically, inter alia as a function of the terrain inclination.
However, it has become apparent that riders of bicycles do not find such predetermined possibilities for influencing the shifting process to be sufficiently comfortable and desire, owing to their specific physique and performance, a setting of the shifting algorithm which is further diversified and individualized to a high degree.